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bogdan » metropolis (2001)

11:44 pm on Oct 9, 2023 | read the article | tags:

sometimes, my train of thoughts wanders in the most random directions. last time, this happened as i was listening to one of biskuwi’s tracks. from there, i somehow ended up watching a colorized sequence of 1927’s metropolis synced to techno music, and i was utterly mesmerized by its aesthetics. while i’m not typically a fan of silent films, i decided to check if there was a recent adaptation, and that’s when i discovered the 2001 anime version.

the trailer, unfortunately, did not do justice to the film. it presented a misleadingly cartoonish look, which in hindsight, was a result of poorly chosen shots. however, if you manage to push past this initial barrier (i used microsoft movies and tv for that), you’ll find yourself immersed in a beautifully drawn, organically animated 50s style cartoon. it reminds me of both astroboy for its visuals and fantasia for the fluidity of motion. the colors are vibrant, and surprisingly, a prevalent theme emerges: robots taking mankind’s jobs.

the story unfolds at a deliberate pace, initially appearing somewhat dull, with an almost post-purchase dissonance. soon, though, it plunges into action, following a japanese private investigator’s nephew who stumbles upon the de facto leader of metropolis commissioning an android surrogate daughter. this daughter, it turns out, is instrumental in a terminator-style uprising of the machines. while the uprising is ultimately prevented through the boy’s humanity, this is not your typical hollywood movie. there are several subplots left unresolved or concluded hastily, and a multitude of characters with interesting, lightly touched-upon themes.

a permeating christian overtone stems from the tower of babel biblical story, with a few visually stunning scenes inspired by christianity that left their vivid afterimages lingering in my mind for a long time.

metropolis 2001 is, above all, a visual experience. personally, i was expecting more of the skyscraper aesthetics from the original film’s imagery. while there are a few, none quite match the magnificence of brutalist art deco. what struck me most was the meticulously planned and lengthy choreography for every character’s motion, even the most basic ones. it’s mesmerizing to watch, surprising every single time through intricate, fluid, ballet-like movements, making the metropolis animation a worthwhile investment of time.

bogdan » star trek: strange new worlds

07:30 pm on Jun 10, 2023 | read the article | tags:

i must admit that i added skyshowtime to my long list of subscriptions for tulsa king and star trek. i was afraid to watch the new strange new worlds as my experience with voyager was mixed: had nice ideas, mixed feelings casting and that arc format which i hate, as it makes you wanna binge it.

as thursday evening i was pretty tired, i decided to skip any after-work work and check it out. i was really pleased. no obvious arc, stand-alone episodes, very nice casting (i dislike uhura’s casting as she’s not the sex-symbol i was expecting after michelle nichols and zoe saldana, and also dislike the character “know it all”, “shut up, wesley!” attitude) and amazing ideas – like the touching first episode in which they break the general order one to save an earth-like culture from self-destruction and pike’s facing his own mortality (something that i resonate profoundly with). anyways, good show! will keep you posted.

bogdan » futu/resh/orts – luv deluxe: [youtube=h …

12:50 pm on Nov 8, 2009 | read the article | tags:

futu/resh/orts – luv deluxe:

bogdan » few movies make you think after you've …

10:31 am on Sep 26, 2009 | read the article | tags:

few movies make you think after you’ve finished watching them. gran torino is one of those few.

bogdan » 10 items or less (10 artículos o menos) …

11:48 am on Jun 21, 2009 | read the article | tags:

10 items or less (10 artículos o menos). a short, 82 minutes independent production starring morgan freeman as himself and paz vega (from lucía y el sexo). put it on your “to view” list =)

bogdan » frank miller's sin city (sua, 2005): i …

09:24 am on Mar 28, 2009 | read the article | tags: ,

frank miller’s sin city (sua, 2005): i’ve remembered jessica alba’s dance in that bar. the song is fluke: absurd. the girl is more than beautiful. bruce willis sure is well as the good ol’ cop.

bogdan » watching: bruce lee – enter the dragon ( …

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watching: bruce lee – enter the dragon (hong kong/usa 1973)

bogdan » leonard cohen – hallelujah! didn't see …

07:48 pm on Mar 24, 2009 | read the article | tags: ,

leonard cohen – hallelujah! didn’t see the “watchmen” yet, but i’ve listened the song from the sex scene =). here it is:

bogdan » studio cinema, @4.00pm: eldorado (france …

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studio cinema, @4.00pm: eldorado (france/belgium, 2008): a man and his burglar =) travel across belgium

bogdan » české centrum (czech-it.ro), @6.00pm: …

09:45 am on Mar 22, 2009 | read the article | tags:

?eské centrum (czech-it.ro), @6.00pm: out of the present (germany, 1995) – documentary about the “mir” program

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